Key holder

ABSTRACT

A key holder in a readily accessible locked position yet operable to hold at least one key in a position for use. The holder including a male and female element detachably secured together and having a key retaining rod mounted therebetween, a cover pivotably secured between the elements, and a locking member coactable with the elements to secure them together and to spring bias the cover to hold the keys between the elements.

United States Patent Willis Sept. 3, 1974 [54] KEY HOLDER 2,627,743 2 1953 Ribbing 70/456 R [76] inventor: Richard A. Willis, 640 Fischer Dr.,

phillipsburg Kans 7 1 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe Wed Oct 4 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henderson & Strom [21] App]. No.: 403,651 [57] ABSTRACT A key holder in a readily accessible locked position 8| 1420/4221]; yet Operable to hold at least one key in a position for [58] Fie'ld "7O/45g6459 use. The holder including a male and female element MO 24/3 detachably secured together and having a key retaining rod mounted therebetween, a cover pivotably se- [56] References Cited curedbetween the elements, and a locking member coactable with the elements to secure them together UNITED STATES PATENTS and to spring bias the cover to hold the keys between 1,779,621 10/1930 Moore 70/456 R the elements. l,943,844 1/1934 Slotnick 70/456 R 2,218,199 10/1940 l-lauton 70/456 R 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEP3 1974 39832.8

SHEET 10E 2 PATENTED8EP3 m4 3382.874

SHEEI 2 W 2 KEY HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many persons carry a plurality of keys to effectuate security of buildings, vehicles and the like. As a matter of convenience, it is desirable to retain all of ones keys together on a ring or in a case. Key cases effectively retain keys and also protect the keys from damage. In addition, a key case allows the user to readily select the particular key desired for a particular security application.

Presently available key cases are of two basic types. One type resembles a book, which when opened exposes the keys. The user then selects the desired key for use. Such a case may be closed with the desired key exposed or enclosed. The addition or removal of keys from such a case is quite difficult due to the fact that each key must to affixed-to its own pivot and the space available for this operation is very limited. In additqon, the necessity for separate pivots for each potential key to be retained makes such a case expensive.

The other basic type of case is of a sandwich type of construction and the desired key is swung out from between the two fixed covers. Selecting the desired key from such a case is difficult since the heads of the keys are continuously concealed between the covers, and only the teeth are exposed. As the design of a key head or marking thereon is the primary means of identifying a particular key, any key case wherein the heads of the keys are concealed is disadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a holder for a plurality of keys and more particularly to a key holder.

This invention provides a key holder in a readily accessible locked position yet operable to hold at least one key in a position for use. The holder including a male and female element detachably secured together and having a key retaining rod mounted therebetween, a cover pivotally secured between the elements, and a locking member coactable with the elements to secure them together and to spring bias the cover to hold the keys between the elements.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a key holder that protects the keys retained therein from damage.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a key holder that is readily disassembled.

Still another object of this inventin is the provision of a key holder that exposes the heads of the keys retained therein to allow visual selection or inspection of the keys.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a key holder that allows ready removal or addition of keys therein retained.

Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a key holder having a clip device to secure the key holder to ones personal clothing.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a key holder wherein the free ends of the longer keys retained therein are slightly elevated when the key holder is in an open position, thereby allowing more ready selection of the desired key.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a key holder wherein the keys are held in a readily accessible locked position yet one key can be easily disengaged from the locked position wherein it can be readily used.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

In the drawings, as hereinafter described, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, however various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the key holder of this invention depicting one key in locked position and one key exposed for use;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the key holder of this invention is depicted generally at 10 in FIG. 1, having two keys 11 and 12 pivotally disposed therein on a rod 13. The key holder is depicted in considerably more detail in FIGS. 2 through 5, and is comprised of five elements, a male side 14, a female side 16, a belt clip 17, a cover 18 and a bolt 19.

The male side 14 is generally right triangular shaped male plate '21 having rounded comers 22, 23 and 24, interconnected by three edges, a hypotenuse edge 26, a long base edge 27 and a short height edge 28. Extending perpendicular to the male plate 21 at approximately the midpoint of the long base edge 27, is a male locking member 29 having a generally H-shaped configuration. The male locking member 29 includes one leg 31 affixed to the plate 21, a second leg 32, and a cross bar 33. The one leg 31 and the second leg 32 are spaced apart and lie in the same plane and are connected by the cross bar 33. The cross bar 33 is formed of a substantially square planar center section 34, having a perpendicular hole 36 formed therein, and two low risers 37 and 38 affixed at opposite edges of the center section 34 and perpendicular thereto. The low risers 37 and 38 are affixed to the one leg 31 and the second leg 32 respectively. In sum, the male locking member 29 therefore resembles an H having the two legs 31 and 32 in the same plane, and having cross bar 33 parallel thereto but spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the belt clip 17. Spaced inwardly from each of the two comers 22 and 23 of the male side 14, adjoining the hypotenuse edge 26, are cylindrical pins 39 and 41 projecting perpendicular to the plane of the male plate 21 in the same direction as the male locking member 29.

The femal side 16 includes a female plate 42 (FIGS. 2 and 5) having the same dimensions and shape as the male plate 21. When assembled, the male plate 21 and the female plate 42 are spaced apart and parallel so as to form the shape of the ends of a right triangular prism (FIG. 1). Protruding from and affixed perpendicular to the female plate 42 is a female locking member 43 having a generally square planar configuration. When assembled, female locking member 43 slidingly and lockingly engages male locking member 29. The aforesaid sliding engagement is effectuated by four spaced apart rectangular planar tabs 44, 46, 47, and 48 affixed to the edges 49 and 50 of the female locking member 43 and extend at an acute angle thereto. To further secure the male locking member 29, each tab 44, 46, 47, and 48 may optionally include a small horizontal plate (shown in FIG. 3 but not numbered for the purpose of clarity) affixed to the free ends thereof. The dimensions and alignment of the tabs 44, 46, 47, and 48 are such as to slidingly engage the extremities of the legs 31 and 32. The female locking member 43 has a tapped hole 55 formed through the center thereof and perpendicular thereto and is adapted to threadably receive the bolt 19. The female side 16 also includes a bar 51 affixed thereto and extending perpendicularly therefrom in alignment with the pin 41 to effect sliding engagement therewith. The bar 51 has a cylindrical recess 52 formed in the free end 53 of the bar 51, which is coaxial thereto and opens toward the free end 53. The cylindrical recess 52 has an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the pin 41, therefore allowing sliding engagement therebetween. Also projecting perpendicularly from the female side 16 is a pin 54 located opposite pin 39 on the male side 14. Pins 54 and 39 extend only a short distance into the space between the sides 14 and 16, and function as hinge pins for the cover 18.

A belt clip (FIGS. 2 and 3), having a generally U- shape includes a long leg 56, a U-shaped link 57, and a short leg 58. The long leg 56 has a long thin rectangular planar shape, one end of which is integral with the U-shaped bend 57 which in turn is intergral with the short leg 58. The long leg 56 and the short leg 58 are substantially parallel. A hole 59 is formed into the long leg 56 at approximately the midpoint thereof and perpendicular thereto. It will be noted that the belt clip 17 is of a width slightly less than the length of cross bar 33.

The cover 18 includes four planar sides 61, 62, 63 and 64. Sides 63 and 64 are parallel and identical and have the shape of right trapezoids. The longest edges 69 and 68 of each trapezoidal side 64 and 63 are affixed to opposite edges of a generally square bottom side 62. A rear side 61 having a rectangular configuration is disposed between the two trapezoidal sides 64 and 63 and affixed thereto along the edges 67 and 71 thereon which extend between the two right angles of each of the right trapezoidal sides 64 and 63. The rear side 61 is also affixed perpendicular to the bottom side 62 at the intersection thereof. Two coaxial holes 65 and 66 are formed in the trapezoidal sides 63 and 64 respectively, and are located approximately midway between the parallel bases of the trapezoidal and near the edges 69 and 71 thereof. The two coaxial holes are of an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of pins 39 and 54 to effectuate hinged disposal thereon.

The assembly of the component parts; male side 14, female side 16, belt clip 17, cover 18 and bolt 19; is as follows: first, the desired keys are placed on or removed from the bar 51. Then male side 14 and female side 16 are partially slidably engaged by means of inserting male locking member 29 into female locking member 43. The cover 18 is then hingedly disposed between the male side 14 and female side 16 on pins 39 and 54, with the bottom side 62 parallel and adjacent to the hypotenuse edge 26 of the male side 14. Further sliding engagement of the male locking member 29 and the female locking memer 43 is then continued until the holes 36 and 55 become coaxial. The belt clip 17 is then slidably inserted between the cross bar 33 and the female locking member until the holes 36, 55 and 59 become coaxial. At this point, bolt 19 is threadably secured therethrough, thereby completing the assembly of the key holder 10. During the sliding engagement of male locking member 29 and female locking member 43, the bar 51 is in sliding engagement with pin 41 thereby retaining the keys. It should be noted that the end of the long leg 56 of the belt clip 17 distal from the U-shaped bend 57 thereon must be urged slightly toward the short leg 58 upon insertion and thereafter maintains a slight biasing force upon the rear side 61 of the cover 18.

To open the cover, thereby exposing the keys for use, the cover is pivoted away from the keys. In so doing the rear side 61 of the cover 18 passes through an are thus requiring the long end 56 of the belt clip 17 to be further biased due to coaction with the rear side 61 of the cover 18. The biasing force thereby provided by the belt clip 17 urges the cover 18 into either of two stable position either fully open or fully closed, as indicated in FIG. 1.

In use, the key holder wwill secure the keys therein in a retained position in a compartment formed between the plates and the cover when the cover 18 is in a closed position. When a key is needed, the cover is manually pivoted away from the keys into an open position. To facilitate removal of the desired key, the rear side 61 is operable to raise the free ends of the longer keys retained in the key holder 10. The desired key is then pivoted about the bar 51 to an exposed position thereby allowing the use of the key. The cover may then be reclosed thus securing the remaining keys in a retained position. In addition, the belt clip 17 provides a convenient means of securing the key holder to the clothing of the user and allows ready removal therefrom when a key is desired for use.

1 claim:

1. A key holder comprising;

a pair of spaced plates forming a key retaining compartment therebetween;

a first locking member secured to one of said plates and projecting toward the other of said plates;

a second locking member secured to said other plate and coactable with said first locking member;

key holding means interconnecting said plates, said key holding means provided to pivotally mount at least one key thereon;

cover means hingedly disposed between said plates and moveable from a closed position wherein said at least one key is disposed in said compartment to an open position wherein said at least one key can be pivoted about said key holding means to an exposed position; and

a clip slidably engaging said first and second locking members for securing said members together and said clip coacting with said cover means to bias said cover means in said closed position and in said open position.

2. A key holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover means includes a rear wall, a bottom wallsecured to said rear wall, and parallel side walls secured to said rear and bottom walls and hingedly connected to said plates, said bottom wall provided to retain said at least one key in said compartment when said cover means is in said closed position and said rear wall provided to engage said at least one key free end and to pivot it to said exposed position when said cover means is moved to said open position.

3. A key holder as defined in claim 2 wherein said first locking member comprises a pair of spaced coplanar legs interconnected by an offset cross bar disposed parallel to said legs, said cross bar of shorter width than said legs and having a hole formed therein; said second locking member comprises a planar member having a hole formed therein and having four spaced tabs secured to the edges thereof which are angularly inclined thereto, wherein said tabs are provided to engage the ends of said leg; said clip having a hole formed therein which is coaxial with said cross bar hole and said planar member hole; and including holding means disposed in said holes for securing said members and said clip together.

4. A key holder as defined in claim 3 and including a belt clip having a link integrally connected on one end thereof to said clip and on the other end thereof to a leg spaced from said clip. 

1. A key holder comprising; a pair of spaced plates forming a key retaining compartment therebetween; a first locking member secured to one of said plates and projecting toward the other of said plates; a second locking member secured to said other plate and coactable with said first locking member; key holding means interconnecting said plates, said key holding means provided to pivotally mount at least one key thereon; cover means hingedly disposed between said plates and moveable from a closed position wherein said at least one key is disposed in said compartment to an open position wherein said at least one key can be pivoted about said key holding means to an exposed position; and a clip slidably engaging said first and second locking members for securing said members together and said clip coacting with said cover means to bias said cover means in said closed position and in said open position.
 2. A key holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover means includes a rear wall, a bottom wall secured to said rear wall, and parallel side walls secured to said rear and bottom walls and hingedly connected to said plates, said bottom wall provided to retain said at least one key in said compartment when said cover means is in said closed position and said rear wall provided to engage said at least one key free end and to pivot it to said exposed position when said cover means is moved to said open position.
 3. A key holder as defined in claim 2 wherein said first locking member comprises a pair of spaced coplanar legs interconnected by an offset cross bar disposed parallel to said legs, said cross bar of shorter width than said legs and having a hole formed therein; said second locking member comprises a planar member having a hole formed therein and having four spaced tabs secured to the edges thereof which are angularly inclined thereto, wherein said tabs are provided to engage the ends of said leg; said clip having a hole formed therein which is coaxial with said cross bar hole and said planar member hole; and including holding means disposed in said holes for securing said members and said clip together.
 4. A key holder as defined in claim 3 and including a belt clip having a link integrally connected on one end thereof to said clip and on the other end thereof to a leg spaced from said clip. 